Board-game cafe opening at News Apartments

A Troy cafe featuring board games, comfort foods and an extensive dessert and tea program will be among the first retail tenants of The News Apartments, a new project with commercial spaces and 101 residential rental units that started welcoming tenants last month. The centerpiece of the complex is the former Troy Record building, at Fifth Avenue and Broadway.

Called Bard & Baker, the cafe is owned by Charlotte Guyton, previously general manager of Peck’s Arcade in Troy and part of the opening team at Caskade wine bar in Cohoes. A September opening is projected, according to an announcement from The News’ developer, Guilderland-based Rosenblum Cos.

Bard & Baker will offer more than 350 games from classics such as Clue, Stratego and Scrabble to Eurogames including Catan and Ticket to Ride. The project was the grand prize winner of the Capital Region Chamber’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp business plan competition and a finalist in the All Over Albany 2017 Small Business Grant Competition. Guyton’s research included visiting similar cafes in New York City, Cleveland, Seattle and Athens, Ga., according to her blog. The board-game-focused House Rules Cafeopened in Hudson 13 months ago.

The other retail tenants announced for The News are Pause Gallery, carrying art and fine crafts, and Flowers By Pesha, a Troy floral shop relocating from a River Street location. Both are projected to open at The News in July. Last week, the restaurant Nighthawks opened across the street from The News.